Promise
by astronomylover
Summary: James has just messed up a situation with Lily as usual. Can he get her to forgive him and go to Hogsmeade with him? Based on the song Promise by Simple Plan. Please R&R! Thanks.


**Promise**

The date was April 15th, and this specific Saturday had been designated as a Hogsmeade weekend. Almost all of the students had already left for the village, seeing as it was two in the afternoon, but some were still up in their dormitories or sitting in their common rooms doing work. The Gryffindor dormitories were empty, with the exception of the seventh year boys' dorm.

James Potter was sitting on the window ledge, staring out at the grounds. He sighed to himself before looking at his wristwatch. He shook his head sadly as the dormitory door burst open and banged against the wall; Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew entered the room and took seats on the beds.

"Prongs, are we going to Hogsmeade or what?" Sirius asked. "You've been up here by yourself for the past two hours."

"You can go," James said, still looking out the window.

Sirius walked over to James and put a hand to his forehead.

"Prongs, are you sick?"

"No."

"You're declining an opportunity to go to Hogsmeade. What's wrong with you?" Sirius asked, looking concerned.

"Lily and I had a fight this morning," James replied.

"Over what?" Peter asked.

"I was trying to ask her to go to Hogsmeade with me and inadvertently called her a prude," James finished quietly.

"You WHAT?" Remus yelled.

"I didn't mean to, I just got angry that she'd rather write some dumb potions essay than go to Hogsmeade with me!"

"That was an egotistical comment," Peter said.

"Sod off, Wormtail," James said, rounding on Peter.

"Well, maybe she's behind on work," Remus suggested.

"Moony, since when is Evans ever behind on work?" Sirius asked.

"You've got a point there, Padroot," Remus replied.

"Well, what should I do?" James asked. "I feel really horrible that I called her a prude, and I really want to take her to Hogsmeade with me."

"Go find her and apologize," Sirius said.

I think she's in her dormitory, if that helps," Remus said as James jumped off the ledge and left the room.

_Breakdown_

_I can't take this_

_I need somewhere to go_

_I need you_

_I'm so restless_

_I don't know what to do_

James walked down the boys' dormitory stairs and over to the bottom of the girls' one. He stood there for a minute before calling up the stairs.

"Lily!"

Lily, who had been in her dormitory writing her potions essay, got up from her desk and walked to the top of the girls' dormitory stairs. When she noticed James standing at the bottom, she scowled, turned around, and re-entered her dorm.

"Lily!" James called again. "Lily, I want to talk to you!"

"Well, _I_ don't want to talk to _you_," Lily's voice came floating down the stairs.

_We've had our rough times_

_Fighting all night_

_And now you're just slipping away_

"If she wants to do it that way, fine," James mumbled to himself as he walked back up the stairs to his dorm.

He walked over to the foot of his bed and reached underneath. When he straightened up, he had his Cleansweep Three clutched in his right hand. He mounted the broom and flew down the stairs, stopping to hover at the bottom of the girls' staircase.

'Well,' James thought, 'here goes nothing.'

Quietly, he flew up the girls' staircase, stopping front of Lily's dormitory door. He dismounted and leaned the broom against the wall, while pressing his ear to the door. From inside, the sounds of singing could be heard. Pushing the door open slightly, he stuck his head inside.

Lily was standing in front of her wall-length mirror, singing "All You Need Is Love" by the Beatles into her hairbrush, using it as a microphone. The song was also pumping out of her charmed muggle record player. James laughed quietly to himself at the sight, but at the same time, marveled at Lily's voice. Her laugh had always enchanted him, but her voice was the rainbow on a rainy day to him. James, having come up here for a purpose other than to watch her, pushed the door quietly the rest of the way open.

"You have a really beautiful voice, you know," he said.

Lily jumped, not having known he was there. She put the hairbrush down on the bureau before sitting back down at her desk.

"Thank you," she said quietly as she picked up her quill and began to write on the parchment in front of her.

"I came up here to talk to you about what happened this morning," James said, stepping into the room and sitting down on her bed.

"Yeah? So your purpose was to call me a prude again, right?" she asked angrily, throwing down her quill and getting up from her desk to face him.

"Wrong," James said, getting up off her bed and taking her hands in his. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. I wanted to say you're not a prude. I wanted to say I was wrong, and I wanted to ask for another chance."

_Give me this chance_

_To make the wrongs right, to say:_

_Don't walk away_

"No, James," Lily said. "You hurt my feelings."

"But Lily, I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

"I know, but you're trying to get me to sacrifice my grades for you, and that's not going to happen."

"Lily, I made a huge mistake. I didn't mean to get you upset, or to change who you are. I love you for who you are, and that will _never_ change."

_I promise_

_I won't let you down_

_If you take my hand tonight_

_I promise_

_We'll be just fine this time_

_If you take my hand tonight_

"James – "

"Lily, it's only been four hours, and I already miss you terribly. I can't go on without you."

_Without you I go through the motions_

_Without you it's just not quite the same_

_Without you I don't want to go out_

_I just wanted to say_

"I'm sick of fighting, James. If it takes us not being together for the fighting to stop, then well, that's the way it has to be," Lily said, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I'm sick of fighting too," James replied, pulling her into a hug. "But breaking up will only make it worse."

_That I'm sick of these fights_

_I'll let you be right_

_If it stops you from running away_

"I can't live without you, Lily," James said, looking her straight in the eyes. "I love you."

Lily looked at him, shocked.

'He's never said 'I love you' before,' Lily thought. 'God, what have I done?'

_So just give me this chance_

_To make the wrongs right, to say:_

_Don't walk away_

"I – I love you too, James," Lily said, smiling up at him. "I'm sorry I acted out on you."

"It's okay," James replied, giving her a kiss. "It _was_ my fault in the first place. I deserved what I got."

"Yeah, you did," Lily said, giggling.

"So, Miss Evans, would you like to accompany me to Hogsmeade?" James asked, offering her his hand.

"I would love to," Lily replied, still giggling.

The two left Lily's dorm, not noticing the song playing on the record player: P.S. I Love You.

_Take my hand_

_I promise_

_If you take my hand tonight_

_I won't let you down_

_If you take my hand tonight_


End file.
